Tag: Kale

Fitness for October 2015

The month of October is almost over…tomorrow is Halloween and the time will fall back this weekend.  This past month I followed a pretty intense workout schedule using my Cathe Friedrich programs – Xtrain and Ripped with Hiit and doing yoga.   I am trying to ramp up my workouts some and get ready for her new series that I have already pre-ordered called ICE which stands for Intermediate Conditioning Extreme.  The title itself makes it sound like the workouts will be a challenge.  The workouts are coming out the end of fall 2015.

Cathe workouts for my October schedule Kimberlees Korner

I alternated my weeks in October with one week Xtrain mixed with yoga a couple of days and then the next week Ripped with Hiit and yoga.  I averaged a 5 to 6 day a week workout schedule with 2 of my days being yoga.

crocheted yoga props and Yoga Journal magazine Kimberlees Korner

For my yoga routines I used this older Yoga Journal magazine I bought back in April 2013.  I also used my new crocheted yoga props that I made myself on many of my yoga days.  For more on the crochet pillow and strap see this post.

I love doing yoga on my non cardio days.  I really enjoy yoga on Saturday mornings, too – it is a great start to my weekend to get up early Saturday, before 7 am, and do 20 to 30 minutes of yoga.  Yoga also helps keep me flexible after the intense cardio and weight workouts I do.

I have also started juicing again this month.  I kind of put my juicer away a few months ago and got out of the habit of using it.  I decided it was time to start up again.  I love buying the produce and looking through my juicing books for interesting juice combinations.  I think the reason I don’t keep up with it on a daily basis is because of the clean up involved with the juicer parts – it doesn’t take that long but it is something else to have to do when you are done juicing.  I find it works better if I make two or three juices up and store them in mason jars in the refrigerator so I don’t have to drag the juicer out every day.

 

Juicing book

A benefit I notice with juicing is how good I feel and how much more focused I am.  I also think it helps influence better eating choices.  My goal is to have a fresh juice at least 4 to 5 times each week.

Fresh Kale from my garden Kimberlees Korner

The fresh kale, in the photo above, is from my garden.  This was something else to motivate my juicing.  I grew some last year and used it with my juicer and remembered how much better it tasted and juiced than the kind I buy.  I grew some again this year, from seed, and it is doing really well lately.  It tends to not grow so good in the hot Texas heat in the summer but does very well in the spring and fall weather.

So, what kind of workouts have you been doing lately?  Let me know in the comments below.

Have a great day!

-Kimberlee

Kale – Cooking and Health Benefits

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Recently I have been introduced to kale and now I love this dark leafy green vegetable.  It is full of lots of health benefits and high in anti aging antioxidants.

saute kale with olive oil
saute kale with olive oil

Here are some of the other health benefits:

  • B vitamins to boost brain power and help prevent memory loss
  • contains lutein which helps prevent eye disease
  • a good source of calcium for your bones
  • silica for the skin, hair, teeth and nails

I have been adding fresh kale leaves to my cranberry fruit smoothies in place of spinach and love the refreshing taste it gives them.  Here are 2 recipes I have been using for smoothies:

smoothie made with cranberry juice, frozen mixed berries, protein powder, yogurt, flaxseed meal and kale
smoothie made with cranberry juice, frozen mixed berries, protein powder, yogurt, flaxseed meal and kale

Cranberry and Kale Smoothie 

  -3/4 cup cranberry juice                                            -3/4 cup frozen mixed berries                                  -1 Tbls flaxseed meal or Chia seeds                         -1/3 cup plain or vanilla yogurt                               -1 scoop vanilla protein powder                              – handful of torn kale leaves-no stems

 

Place all of the above ingredients in blender and blend for 1-2 minutes or until all berries are processed.  Enjoy!

 

 

smoothie ingredients in blender before blended
smoothie ingredients in blender before blended
Orange juice smoothie with frozen berries and fresh kale leaves
Orange juice smoothie with frozen berries and fresh kale leaves

Orange Tropical Smoothie                                     -3/4 cup orange juice                                               -3/4 cup mixed frozen strawberries, pineapple,       mango & peaches

-1/2 cup plain yogurt                                                  -1 Tbls flaxseed meal                                                -1 scoop vanilla protein powder                              -handful kale leaves-no stems

 

 

Place all ingredients in blender and blend 1-2 minutes until smooth.  Enjoy!

 

I first learned of putting kale in smoothies after I joined a green smoothie group on facebook.  The group is called Green Cup of MOJO and has lots of interesting recipes posted regularly.  You can click on the highlighted link to find it – I am not sure if you have to be invited to join.

I have also started cooking kale.  It is similar to cooking with spinach or swiss chard.  Here is a recipe I have tried and we enjoyed:

Kale saute with olive oil, onions and garlic
Kale saute with olive oil, onions and garlic

1 bunch of kale                                                            1 to 2 Tbls olive oil                                                      3 to 4 cloves of chopped garlic                                   1/2 onion chopped into large pieces

Directions:  Saute kale in olive oil until it cooks down – stir frequently so it doesn’t burn.  Add garlic and onions and saute 2 or 3 more minutes.  Serve.

 

 

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